Acoustics Guide For Sound Insulation In Wood Frame Construction - Nrc.pdf

National Research Conseil national
Council Canada de recherches Canada
Guide for Sound Insulation in
Wood Frame Construction
Research Report 219, March 2006
. Quirt, . Nightingale, F. King
Page 1 of 103
Preamble and Acknowledgement
This Guide addresses flanking transmission of sound through wood framed
construction. Continuous structural elements and connections at the junctions of
partition walls and floors provide transmission paths that by-pass the separating
partition between two noise-sensitive spaces.
Flanking transmission is sound transmission between two rooms by paths other
than directly through the nominally separating wall or floor assembly. Flanking
exists in all buildings and its importance in determining the apparent sound
insulation (that perceived by the occupants) depends on of the construction
details of the walls, the floors and their junctions.
This Guide is the derivative of four industry-sponsored research projects
conducted at IRC/NRC. The focus and construction details were decided by a
mittee of technical representatives from each of the supporting
partners. Partners included Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation,
Forintek Canada Corporation, Marriott International, National Research Council
Canada, Owens Corning, Trus Joist, and USG.
This Guide supersedes the version published in 2005. This version includes
estimates of the flanking due to directly attached gypsum board on ceilings,
corridor walls, and exterior walls. (The first version assumed that these surfaces
were mounted on resilient channels, and thus had negligible effect.)
Overview of Content and Intended Application
The intent of this guide is to present the findings from a substantial experimental
research study, in a form that can be used as a framework for design. The guide
focuses on wood-framed assemblies because that was the priority of the study
on which it is based. Other types of walls and floors with con